I have been given this necklace could anybody tell me anything about it.

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Caroline1960

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I believe the clasp is likely to be a lot older than the actual pearls. They were given as a twenty first birthday present in 1980. I am not sure if they date from that time or earlier. Any information would be gratefully received, thank you. I think they are real because they feel gritty when rubbed together. The clasp contains braided hair and is dated 1812. IMG_8175.jpegIMG_8174.jpegIMG_8173.jpegIMG_8172.jpeg
 
That clasp is really something!

I found this about the jeweler, in the Channel Islands, U.K.:


Screenshot 2025-09-27 at 7.30.18 AM.png


The jeweler dates back to 1936, according to this post.

The clasp is dated 1812 so I assume the clasp pearls are natural. Hair jewelry was a thing back then. Remarkable!
Given that the jeweler dates from 1936 I assume the pearls are probably cultured akoyas and are not original to the clasp. But if not, then they are also natural. You would need a lab (like GIA) to certify them as natural, however.
 
Pearl Dreams said:
That clasp is really something!

I found this about the jeweler, in the Channel Islands, U.K.:


View attachment 475920

The jeweler dates back to 1936, according to this post.

The clasp is dated 1812 so I assume the pearls are natural. Hair jewelry was a thing back then. Remarkable!
Given that the jeweler dates from 1936 I assume the pearls are probably cultured akoyas and are not original to the clasp. But if not, then they are also natural. You would need a lab (like GIA) to certify them as natural, however.
Click to expand...
It is interesting that the Jeweler stopped trading in 1961, I think they were replaced by Hettiich. The original owner was given them as a present in 1980 so it is likely they weren’t new, but pre owned at that time if the jeweller had stopped trading 19 years earlier. Length wise they are more like a choker than necklace which might fit in with them possibly being from the 1930’s.
 
Beautiful Georgian clasp of woven hair and seed pearls. I love mourning jewellery. Often pieces were commissioned by the hair owner and not distributed until after death as a memento. It was not unusual either to cut a lock of hair from the deceased. It is not macabre - people wanted to remember their loved ones and had no photographs to remind them.

I am not certain that the box is original to the pearl strand. You can see how the necklace does not fit the raised border in the box or alternatively, perhaps the necklace has been shortened at some point.
 
Pella said:
Beautiful Georgian clasp of woven hair and seed pearls. I love mourning jewellery. Often pieces were commissioned by the hair owner and not distributed until after death as a memento. It was not unusual either to cut a lock of hair from the deceased. It is not macabre - people wanted to remember their loved ones and had no photographs to remind them.

I am not certain that the box is original to the pearl strand. You can see how the necklace does not fit the raised border in the box or alternatively, perhaps the necklace has been shortened at some point.
Click to expand...
My understanding is that my aunt who purchased the necklace for her daughter had the existing clasp replaced with the Georgian one, so no the pearls and the clasp are not the same age. I can see the bead in the pearl using the candle light method, so they are definitely cultured pearls, I just wondered if anyone on this forum could tell by looking at them the origin of the cultured pearls.
 
If you would like to restring them yourself, learn a useful skill and save money doing so, see my tutorial:
Pearl Dreams

Thread 'Stringing Tutorial with photos: Stringing on Serafil, Beaders Secret & Power Pro'

How to string (or restring) your pearls on doubled Pattye's Serafil, Beaders Secret, and Power Pro​

This is not hard-- really! It is harder to describe it than to do it. Anyone can learn to string their own pearls!
If after reading through this, it sounds too daunting, I suggest making a mini-strand for practice first. Make one 12-15 pearls long just so you can practice how to knot the end 3 pearls on each side and attach the clasps; the middle pearls are easy to knot.

To just practice knotting (without bothering with clasps), make an overhand knot, string on a pearl (or...
  • Like
 
Pella said:
Beautiful Georgian clasp of woven hair and seed pearls. I love mourning jewellery. Often pieces were commissioned by the hair owner and not distributed until after death as a memento. It was not unusual either to cut a lock of hair from the deceased. It is not macabre - people wanted to remember their loved ones and had no photographs to remind them.

I am not certain that the box is original to the pearl strand. You can see how the necklace does not fit the raised border in the box or alternatively, perhaps the necklace has been shortened at some point.
Click to expand...
Sorry I miss read your reply. You are right the pearls don’t fit the box. My aunt bought many things from antique auctions during the 60’s 70’s and 80’s, so I am beginning to think she bought the pearls and the the clasp separately from an auction house and they possibly didn’t have a box so when giving the pearls to her daughter she used a box in her possession that she didn’t need any more. She moved to Jersey in 1960 and lived there until her death in 2017.
 
Pearl Dreams said:
If you would like to restring them yourself, learn a useful skill and save money doing so, see my tutorial:
Pearl Dreams

Thread 'Stringing Tutorial with photos: Stringing on Serafil, Beaders Secret & Power Pro'

How to string (or restring) your pearls on doubled Pattye's Serafil, Beaders Secret, and Power Pro​

This is not hard-- really! It is harder to describe it than to do it. Anyone can learn to string their own pearls!
If after reading through this, it sounds too daunting, I suggest making a mini-strand for practice first. Make one 12-15 pearls long just so you can practice how to knot the end 3 pearls on each side and attach the clasps; the middle pearls are easy to knot.

To just practice knotting (without bothering with clasps), make an overhand knot, string on a pearl (or...
  • Like
Click to expand...
I am not sure my eye sight is good enough, the pearls are about 4 mm and the holes are very small.
 
I actually use super cheap dollar tree 3.00 readers...just to see pearl drill holes. But check with Pattye to see if she does restringing? She has kits. If getting it done locally, I would also make sure they use a great polyester thread like Pattye sells...not Silk. I love silk...but polyester lasts sooo much longer!
 
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